Dr Hadiyah-Nicole Green's cancer laser research garners attention as team pushes toward human trials

Dr Hadiyah-Nicole Green, an American medical physicist, is steadily advancing research on a novel cancer treatment that uses laser-activated nanoparticles — a therapy that has eradicated tumours in early animal studies and is now being prepared for eventual human trials, her supporters say.

Dr Green, one of the few Black women in the United States ever to earn a PhD in physics, has spent more than a decade developing a technology known broadly as Laser-Activated NanoTherapy (LANT). The method pairs tiny engineered particles with targeted laser light to attack malignant cells while sparing healthy tissue — potentially offering a less invasive alternative to conventional cancer treatments.

The therapy works by injecting nanoparticles into a solid tumour. When exposed to a specific wavelength of laser light, the particles heat up, selectively destroying cancerous cells while leaving surrounding cells largely unharmed.

In pre-clinical studies on mice, a single 10-minute treatment has resulted in complete tumour regression with healed skin within about 15 days, according to the foundation Dr Green established to advance her work.

From personal loss to scientific purpose

Dr Green’s interest in cancer treatment was shaped by personal tragedy. After her aunt — who raised her — died from cancer and her uncle suffered severe side effects from chemotherapy and radiation, she resolved to find gentler and more effective therapies. Her doctoral research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham focused on using lasers and nanoparticles to locate and kill cancer cells.

Following her PhD, Dr Green took positions in academia and, in 2016, founded the Ora Lee Smith Cancer Research Foundation, named after her aunt. The foundation’s mission is to raise funds to bring her laser-activated therapy into clinical trials and, ultimately, make it widely accessible and affordable.

She has received research grants, including a US Department of Veterans Affairs award of about US $1.1 million, to support early work towards human testing, but larger funding remains a significant hurdle.

The path toward human trials

Although results in animal models are promising, Dr Green’s technology has not yet been tested in humans. Subsequent stages — including safety evaluations, regulatory approval and clinical trials — are costly and time-consuming. Supporters of the research emphasise the need for substantial investment to determine whether the treatment is effective and safe in patients.

Experts say that many innovative cancer therapies shown to work in animals do not always translate directly to humans. Rigorous clinical studies are required to understand potential side effects, optimal dosages and long-term outcomes before any new treatment can be adopted in routine care.

Broader interest and challenges

Dr Green’s work has attracted attention not only for its scientific ambition but also for what it represents in terms of diversity and funding equity in medical research. Some commentators have noted the challenges that smaller, independent laboratories and researchers — especially those from underrepresented groups — can face when seeking large-scale investment for groundbreaking work.

Supporters of the Ora Lee Smith Foundation argue that, if successful in humans, laser-activated nanoparticle therapy could offer a minimally invasive option for treating various solid tumours — from breast and prostate cancers to head and neck malignancies — without the harsh side effects associated with chemotherapy and radiation.

For now, Dr Green continues to advocate for funding and collaboration as she works to move her promising technology out of the laboratory and into the clinical trial stage — a step she says is essential to realising her life’s mission of changing how cancer is treated.